Velocipede



A. GRANT. VELOGIPEDE No. 509.079. Patented, Nov."21 1893.

(No Model.) 2 sheet -sheer 2.

S. A." GRANT.

VELOGIPEDE. No.-609,0'79. Patented Nov. 21 1893..

THE NATIONAL umomuwums comum" WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATESv PATENT Grrrcn.

SIDNEY A. GRANT, or SPRINGFIELD, MAssAci-ius'n'rrs.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,079, dated November21, 1893. Application filed December 19, 1892- fierial No. 455,731. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it.known that I, SIDNEY A. GRANT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes,of which the following is a specification.

This invention for improvement in velocipedes more particularly pertainsto bicycles of the class comprising shaft and gear connections betweenthe crank -axle and the driven wheel, which is usually the rear one.

The objects of this invention are to provide gear-connections betweenthe driving and r 5 driven axle which will involve a minimum of frictionand ma large measure avoid the considerable difficulty heretoforeexperienced by reason of non rigidity or derangement of the bearingsupports for the gearing, and

also to provide a construction and combination of mechanical elementsfor the medium of transmission which shall be mechanical andpracticable, easy of assemblage, susceptible of all required adjustmentswith the utmost facility, and very light though not inconsistent withthe required degree of strength.

To these ends the invention consists in construction and combinations ofparts all substant-ially as will hereinafter fully appear and be setforth in the claims.

The improved bicycle is illustrated in the accompanying drawings formingpart of this specification,-Figure 1 being a side eleva- 3 5 tion of themachine showing the inclosing devices for the improved driving gear.Fig. 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal section taken on the line, x-.r, ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view,

on a larger scale, of one of the improved 4o bevel-gears. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of parts of the driving connection and supports whichwill be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

Similar characters of reference indicate 5 corresponding parts in all ofthe views.

In the drawings A represents the crankaxle having the pedal-cranksrigidly affixed thereto, as usual, this shaft being mounted in thetubular bearing-support, B, which is equipped with suitable ball-bearingdevices,

and this hearing support, as here shown, is located at the lower angleof the frame. Said tubular bearing support, B, is provided with therearwardly extended socket-lugs, a, a.

0 represents the rear-wheel-axle on which the hub, D, of the rear-wheelis mounted for rotation, the axle being held fixed to what may be termedthe rear-wheel fork-legs, or

hereinafter set forth, and having, at its forward and rear ends,bevel-gears, J, J the teeth of which mesh respectively with those of thesaid gears, G and F. Either (or both) of the meshing gears of each pairthereof has the bearing surfaces of its teeth constituted by rollers, b,b, which have free rotary movements independent of the revolutions ofthe ear-pieces, d, cl, on and between which they are individuallymounted. These rollers are preferably convex in the direction of theiraxes, partaking of a spheroidal form. These rollers, when mountedasshown in the ear-pieces, d, cl, are axially perforated, the pintles,e, passing through the rollers and into the ear-lugs. The pintles arescrew-threaded at one end and slotted at the other, one of each pair ofthe ear-lugs being tapped to receive the screw-engagement of .thethreaded end of the pintle.

The rear-wheel-axle, G, is suitably extended at either side of the faceof the rear-wheel hub, the extremities being screw-threaded. Thethreaded axle extremity at one side of the wheel receives theannularbearing member, c, for the ball-bearings and also receives theconnection therewith of the one lower hind member, E, of the frame, theforward end of which part is fitted into one of the aforesaidsocket'lugs, a, and keyed, pinned, or other-' wise detachably united,thereto. Theother and longer screw-threaded extension of therear-wheel-axle receives the sleev e, f, which is both internally andexternally threaded. The inner end of this sleeve is to be brought intosuitable proximity with the adjacent gear-wheel, F, of the hub forbearing upon the intervening balls.

K represents a tube somewhat shorter than the distance between therear-wheel-axle and the crank-axle bearing, this tube having at its rearend a yoke, g, which is shown as in the form of an elliptical framing,although limitation is not to be made to this particular shape, and theyoke has an externally and rearwardly extended socket-lug, h, which isinternally screw-threaded to engage the aforesaid threaded sleeve, f,and to be adjustable thereon longitudinally of the axis thereof. Thissleeve is indicated, in Fig. 2, at 10, as being split and having at thisso-formed part ear-pieces through which the constricting screw, 12,passes. The said yoke, g, also has at its rear boundary and axially inline with the tube,K, the stud, which has thereon a part to constituteone of the bearing surfaces between which and the gear, J the hardenedballs for that gear are comprised. As shown, and preferably practicedsaid stud, t', is externally threaded receiving thereon the annularsection, *3, which may be adjusted to take up wear in this ball-bearing.Said gear, J is keyed or pinned to the rear end of the shaft, H,'whichextends therefrom forwardly within and beyond the end of the said tube,K, having keyed, or pinned, on said extended end the bevel-gear, J, inmesh with the crankaxle'bevel-gear.

j represents another yoke which may, though not necessarily, be ofelliptical form, as shown in Fig. 4, and it has at its forward and rearboundaries the tubular hubs, 7' and j the latter of which encircles andis connected to the forward extremity of tube, K, while a shaft or bar,m, has its intermediate portion fitted and secured by pins, orotherwise, within the forward tubular hub, 9' The rearward extremity ofsaid bar, m, is screwthreaded and receives the adjustable, annularsection, n, for the ball-bearin g between which and the end-face of thegear, J, the hardened balls for this bearing are comprised. The otherend of said bar, m, is forwardly extended within the adjacentsocket-lug, a, and pinned, or otherwise secured, thereto.

0 indicates a lock-nut for holding the bearing sectionyn, in its properadjustment.

The assemblage of the parts, which intimately pertain to the presentimprovements, maybe made in this manner: The sleeve,f, is first screwedthrough the yoke-extension, 71, and the annular bearing member isscrewengaged with the threaded stud; the gear- Wheel, J is then slippedinto the rear yoke, the balls being inserted between this gear and theadjacent ball-bearing member, 71 and the shaft, H, is entered within thetubular'fork-leg and keyed to the gear. The rearwheel-axle is now passedthrough the hub of the rear-wheel and the bevel-gear thereon, andscrewed through the part, f, and at this time the opposite rear-wheelfork-leg or frame member,'E, may be connected with the other end of theaxle; the gear, J, is now placed within the forward yoke and slippedover and keyed upon the forward end of the shaft; the adjacentball-bearing member, at, is brought into the proper relative position tothe gear with the balls between said parts, and the bar, m, is forcedthrough the tubular forward hub of the yoke and by its rearwardscrewthreaded end takes a screw engagement through the said bearingmember, 07., it first, however, passing through the lock nut, 0. Thisbar, m, is now immovably pinned to the yoke. The rear-wheel and theconnected rear frame members, E, E, are now connected to thesocket-lugs, a, CL, of the crank-axlebearing and confined by the keys orpins. The adjustment of the ball-bearings may, as plain, be now insuredby properlyturning the annular ball-bearing members, 0, f, 1 and n.

I purpose to inclose all of the gearing within suitable light casing, ofthin metal, whereby when the machine is set up it willassume theappearance shown in Fig. l,but no claim is made to any particularconstruction of inclosing casings, and hence nothorough illustration ordescription thereof need be herein given.

It will be noticed that the shaft, 11, has no bearing for friction uponits inclosing tube or upon any other parts, its support being throughthe medium of the gears, J and J which rest against the balls and theweight of which is sustained by the annularbearing members, i and n.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a velocipede, the combination with the crank-axle with abevel-gear thereon, and the reztr-wheel-axle, the crank-axle-bearinghaving a rearwardly extended member and the rear-wheel havingabevel-gear'on its hub, of a tubular side member of the frame having asupport on an extension of the rear Wheelaxle, the shaft inclosed insaid tubular member and having bevel-gears at each endwhich mesh withthe aforesaid gears, andsaid tube having a yoke encircling the forwardshaft gear and having at its forward end the hollow hub, the bar, at,supported in said hollow hub and having on a rearwardly extended portiona bearing member, n, and having its other end adapted to engage forsupport the said rearwardly extended member of the crankaxle-bearing,substantially as described.

2. In a velocipede the combination with a frame fixedly supporting therear-wheel-axle, and also the bearing support for the crankaxle, of therear-wheel and the crank-axle each having a gear-wheel thereon, and thetubular fork-leg or frame member at the side of the rear-wheel having atits rear end a yoke which has a supporting connection to said fixedrear-wheel-axle, the shaft inclosed in the tube and having within saidyoke a gear in mesh with the rear-wheel gear, and

IOC

having connected to its forward end a gear in mesh with the crank-axlegear,'a yoke adapted to encircle the forward gear of thevsaid shaft andhaving tubular portions at opposite sides thereof one of which receivesconnection with a forward end portion of the gear shaft, and a studrigidly fixed to and rear- Wardly projected from the crank-axle bearingand entered for engagement in the forward tubular member of the saidyoke, substantially as described.

3. In a velocipede the combination with a frame fixedly supporting therear-wheel-axle and also the bearing support for the crankaxle, saidrear-wheel-axle being projected outwardly beyond the rear-wheel hub, andscrewthreaded, the rear-wheel having a bevel-gear secured, thereto andan internally screwthreaded sleeve longitudinally adjustable on therear-wlieel-axle extension and having its inner end formed to constitutea member of the ball-bearingwhich'is comprised between it andsaidrear-wheel gear, the tubular side member carrying at its rear a yokewhich comprises a device to embrace and be connected to said adjustablesleeve, the shaft provided with the beveled roller toothed gear iuclosedin said yoke and in mesh with the rear-wheel gear and having at itsforward end a gear-wheel which has a gear connection with thecrank-axle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a bicycle the combination with the frame'having the rigidlysupported crank axle bearing, and the fixed rear-wheel axle having therear-wheel rotatable thereon said axle having the end extensionprojected beyond the wheel-hub and screw-threaded, the bevel-gear on therear-wheel-axle, the sleeve internally and externally screw-threaded andhaving its inner portion constituting the bearing surface of theball-bearing which is between the said sleeveand said bevel-gear, thetubular side member of theframe having at its rear portion the yokeprovided with a rearwardly extended hub or lug which is internallyscrew-threaded for adj ustable and detachable connection with saidbearing sleeve, and said yoke comprising at its rear boundary aforwardly extended externally threaded stud, an internally threadedannular ballbearing member adjustably screw-engaged with said stud, thegear-shaft having the gear on its rear end and the balls between saidgear and said annular bearing member, and a gear connection between theforward end of said shaft and the crank-axle, substantially as andforthe purposes set forth.

5. In a bicycle, the combination with the tubular bearing for thecrank-axle having rearwardly'extended members, of the crankaxle having abevel-gear thereon, the gearshaft, gear-connected to the rear-wheel, andhaving at its forward end a bevel-gear, J, engaging the crank-axle gear,the side member, E, of the frame and the tube, H, both rearwardlysupported by the rear-wheel-axle, the yoke connected to the forward endof the tube and having at the rearward and forward boundaries thereoftubular hubs, a bar having its intermediate portion fitted andconnectedin the forward one of said yoke-hubs, the extremities thereof extendedrearwardly and forwardly therefrom, the forward extremity having adetachable connection with one of said members of the crank-axle-bearingand the rearward extremity supporting the gear-wheel, J, and the forwardend of the frame member, E, connected to the other of said members ofthe crank-axle bearing, substantially as described.

6. In a velocipede, the combination with the bearing support, B, havinga rearwardly extended socket-lug, a, and the crank-axle having the bevelgear thereon, the shaft geared to the rear-wheel and having a gear inmesh with the crank-axle-gear, the tubular lower rear member of theframe inclosing the shaft and the yoke connected to the tube and havingthe hollow hub, j the bar, m, intermediately encircled by said yoke-hub,and having the rear extremity screw-threaded with the adjustable annularball-bearing member, n, thereon, and the forward exten sion of said bar,m, entered and confined in 5 the socket-lug, a, substantially asdescribed.

SIDNEY A. GRANT.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, K. I. CLEMONS.

